June
26, 2006 - Playing
a racing game with a controller is like playing guitar
with a tennis racket. At least that's the way you'll
see it after taking Logitech's DriveFX Wheel for the
Xbox 360 for a spin.

If
you haven't used a wheel and pedal setup before, prepare
for a healthy learning curve as you'll have to completely
adjust your driving techniques, even when playing
games that you can ace in your sleep. There are big
differences between the steering radius of a 10-inch
diameter wheel and a small analog stick and it will
require practice before you're smoking the competition.

I
put the DriveFX through its paces with Need For Speed:
Most Wanted, Project Gotham 3, Burnout Revenge and
Ridge Racer 6, the latter being the hardest to control
due to its overly-arcade drifting physics. As long
as the control config in each game is set to acceleration
(RT) and brake (LT), set up will be painless as the
wheel is mapped to accept that configuration. Logitech
has conveniently placed all of the necessary Xbox
360 buttons on the wheel for game menu navigation.
If you haven't played your collection of Xbox 360
racing games for awhile or are looking for a new challenge,
this wheel will breathe new life into your favorite
hobby.

The
10" wheel has been constructed as a single, durable
piece of molded plastic which uses a gas-assisted
injection molding process. Two clamps located under
the base of the wheel mount provide a solid connection
to your desk or table, so wobbling or jerky movements
won't hinder your ride. If you don't have a desk,
there are no suction cups available on the base which
could mean the unit will be susceptible to incidents
of slippage. The wheel feels incredible, allowing
you to feel the bumps and shakes of the road and the
pedals are of equal quality. One drawback to the package
is the absense of a stick shift. You can still play
games using manual transmission but you'll have to
shift using the buttons on the wheel which reduces
the overall sense of realism.

Let's
face it, anyone can steer a car around a track, but
the Logitech's awesome new wheel lets you drive it.
If you're going to play the most realistic looking
racing games available today, you need the most realistic
control to completely immerse you into the experience.
Logitech's DriveFX Wheel does just that. It's a definite
must buy for those who take X360 racing very seriously.

By
Vaughn SmithCCC
Site Director

Rating
out of 5

Logitech
DriveFX Wheel (Xbox 360)

4.5

Overall
Rating -
Must Buy
Not an average. See Rating legend above
for a final score breakdown.